Whether You Like It Or Not
by Petrarch
Summary: Kel is suddenly thrown into a positon of power against her will shortly after beginning a low-profile relationship with Faleron. They both are faced with decisions that will change their fate and could affect the countries of Tortall and Tyra.
1. A Dream Come True

Chapter One   
  
Faleron could remember the first time he had laid eyes on Kel, the girl he loved. He was still able to conjure in his mind the image of her standing in the hall that day. Determination he hadn't seen even in the new boys shone in her eyes.   
  
Granted he was a year older than her, but there was something about Kel that was different than the other court ladies. With the occasional exception, court ladies were so boring; all they did was sit around talking and knitting.   
  
'Like Kel would be caught dead gossiping,' Faleron thought. He had to laugh at the mere idea. She did things her own way, no matter what polite society would say. Somehow Kel had managed to put up with the boys that were un-accepting of her new position in the beginning when she only had Neal to lean on.   
  
'Look where she is now.' Kel had a large circle of friends--friends who would die for each other. The group included the funny Cleon; the more mature, but all too sarcastic, Neal; the heir to the throne, Roald; the annoyingly jolly Owen; and numerous others.   
  
No, she was not anyone like Faleron had ever met, and the chances of meeting anyone that came close to her ambitiousness was null. Not even the Lioness had to put up with what Kel went through.   
  
That is why Kel caught his eyes.   
  
-----  
  
Kel had just passed the Ordeal two days ago and was still recovering. Yet she couldn't forget how Faleron had reacted when she had left the chamber...his worry seemed to go beyond that of simply a friend.  
  
"Then why do you feel so nervous around him now?" asked a little voice in her head, but Kel ignored it because there were too many big voices mulling over what she was going to do now that she was a full knight.   
  
A knock sounded on the infirmary door.   
  
"Come in?" Kel said hoarsely, still not completely over the Ordeal, which had taken quite a toll on her physically.  
  
"Yeah, Kel. It's us," answered Cleon. He entered the infirmary with a veritable army of friends; Fal, Roald, Neal, and the rest of their gang crowded into the room.   
  
"Hi, how was your Ordeal, Seaver?" Kel asked, propping herself up. She was always more concered for her friends then for her own well-being.  
  
"It was bad, but you know I can't tell you about it. Your parents have been worried about you." Seaver mentioned, none to subtly changing the subject.  
  
"Are you feeling any better, Kel?" Fal asked, coming over to the bed.  
  
"I'm awake, aren't I?" Kel, who had been asleep for the past day or so, answered with a sarcastic hint to her voice.  
  
"I swear, Kel, you are hanging around me too much. I'm starting to rub off on you." Neal commented, laughing. "By the way, they are holding a ball tonight. Just thought you would like to know."  
  
"I wonder if Lady Rene is going with anyone yet?" Neal started trailing off as he left the room. The other boys followed, chiding him, after giving their best wishes to Kel.   
  
All but Fal.  
  
"Kel, I need to ask you something," Fal muttered, obviously nervous.   
  
"Yeah?"   
  
"Um, I was wondering if, ah, youwannagotoballwitme?"   
  
"Faleron, slow that down, please," Kel insisted.  
  
"Would you like to go to the ball with me?" Fal said breathlessly, not as fast as before, but the words still came out in a jumble.  
  
An amazed look crossed her face as her brain hurridly tried to absorb this new information.   
  
-----  
  
"Announcing Sir Keladry of Mindelan," the herald called out.  
  
Kel looked so elegant in her dress that most of the boys didn't recognize her, until the herald had announced her. Her dress was a deep green, contrasting her brown hair, and bringing out the same hue in her hazel eyes. Lalasa had talked Kel into getting earrings, a pair of true emeralds. To put it mildly, the boys were stunned...all but one, that is.   
  
"May I have this dance?" The tall man asked.  
  
"Why yes Sir Faleron," Kel accepted the invitation with mock formality, seeing as no one else had asked her yet. Fal swept her around the room for the slow waltz, smiling happily. The past day the boys had noticed a strange look on Fal's face--now they knew what it was.   
  
"Wow. Did any of you know that Kel looked so..." Neal dragged off.  
  
"Mature?" Cleon supplied with a smirk on his face. Out of the entire group Cleon was the only one who actually saw Kel as a full Lady, rather then the tomboyish squire they had all come to love. "You should have realized by now that our favorite girl has grown up. The only difference is that Faleron and me noticed before you." Cleon looked very smug as he said the last part.   
  
Faleron and Kel's feet were beginning to feel the strain of the many dances as they walked through the palace gardens. Fortunately, a full moon out that night distracted them.  
  
"Kel, what are you planning on doing when you leave?" Fal asked worriedly, holding Kel's hand as they walked through the gardens. There was a look of sadness in his eyes, he wouldn't be surprised if she were to leave palace at the first chance she got.  
  
"Go off questing, I guess. I might stay for a little bit and get a squire," Kel said, looking in his eyes.  
  
"Oh," was all he managed to utter, face immediately dropping. He had been hoping that she would at least stay another few weeks.   
  
Kel realized how Fal was feeling and added, "But I will need some company." That perked Fal right up.  
  
"You mean it?"  
  
"Of course." Kel smiled playfully.   
  
"Thanks Kel. Plus it will be good to get out of the palace, away from Lord Wyldon and palace food and--"  
  
"You just ruined a perfectly good moment, you realize that? Now just kiss me before it's gone." Kel leaned over and.....  
  
Kel awoke with a start--that was the second night in a row she had been awakened by that exact same dream. "I wonder if the Gods are trying to tell me something," Kel wondered to herself in an almost sarcastic manner.   
  
"Maybe they'll stop if I listen." Kel got off her bed, changed into a pair of breeches, and left her room. She knew it was inevitable, and the sooner it happened the better. Kel didn't notice Lalasa poke her head through the door wondering why she was leaving so early.   
  
She knocked on a door, bouncing impatiently on the balls of her feet. A rather tired, sleep-scruffy Fal answered.   
  
"Kel, not everyone gets up as early as you. What do you need?" Fal grumbled, kind of annoyed that someone had woken him up, but if it had been anyone else they would've had the door in their face. He yawned widely, trying to cover it unsuccessfully.   
  
"This." Kel leaned in and her lips brushed Fal's. When she came away she was smiling. It took Fal completely by surprise.  
  
He blinked his eyes, sleep-addled brain trying to work through what had just happened. Fal gave Kel a strange look, "What was that?"  
  
Kel took a step back. For once she was worried she had messed everything up by being too outgoing, "A kiss." Determined not to show her worry, Kel put on her best Yamani face. She was stone. Even if she did like this man, she wouldn't let hurt show in public.  
  
Fal raised a brow, "That's what you call a kiss?" Now that he was completely awake, he grinned. After their second kiss, initiated by Fal this time, and a long discussion in Fal's room, Kel went back to her own place. Now that Kel was a knight she no longer had to worry about Wyldon's restrictions. Years of subtle hinting about their respective feelings had finally been addressed--and neither had been disappointed.  
  
Lalasa peered once again into her mistress's room when Kel came back, and smiled knowingly at the look on the girl's face. So that's what she had been up to...  
  
----   
  
One quick note on my behalf: In the 3 years since this originally came out both Squire and Lady Knight have come out. However, I am still writing this as if the only information I had was from Page and First Test. This means I am free to create a different time line to some degree. I will eventually get around to describing what has happened amongst the group and through out Tortall, most likely in the form of an addendum to Kel's Triology.   
  
I'm trying to stay as true to the characters as possible and I trust you, my reviewers to tell me when there is something weird going on. Thank you and goodnight. Pet  
  
Post Scriptum: Much thanks goes to Saphron for beta-reading this. She gave many ideas and corrections, without which this would still be a sub-par story. (Note to Saphron- If you see anything else that needs changing, just email me. ) 


	2. Drops of Jupiter

Now that she's back in the atmosphere  
With drops of Jupiter in her hair, hey, hey  
She acts like summer and walks like rain  
Reminds me that there's time to change, hey, hey  
Since the return from her stay on the moon  
She listens like spring and she talks like June, hey, hey   
Kel was coming back! Fal had to be the happiest person in the palace since he had gotten the news. Yah, he and Kel had shared a few kisses, nothing more though. Now that she was coming back, that could all change. He was planning something big.  
Tell me did you sail across the sun,  
Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all fade,  
And that heaven is overrated   
Kel rode in to the palace on Peachblossom, as soon as she stepped out of the stables she was greeted by a hail of friends. Neal, Raold, Cleon, Merric, Owen, her old Knight-master, Raoul, and his 'friend' Buri, were all there. She was so happy to see all of them again; words could not explain it enough. Yet there was one person, the person she wanted to find the most, missing. Fal.  
"Hey guys, have any of you seen Fal lately?" Kel asked when they let her get a word in edgewise.  
"I believe he is in the Lesser Library." Someone in the group responded. It took Kel a full 15 minutes to get away from the crowd. When she somehow managed through the crowd she immediately went to the Lesser Library. When she got there, she opened the door cautiously. In side she saw someone, a dark haired someone, sitting with his back to the door.   
"Fal?" she ventured.  
"Kel, is that you? Gods I've missed you. Didn't find anyone else, did you?" Fal swept her up in a tight hug; before she could answer he gave Kel a swift kiss.  
"Well..." Kel started  
"Kel." Fal warned.  
"Nope, no one. I'm not daft enough to do something like that." Kel joked with Fal. Finally Kel looked up at Fal and kissed him.  
Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star  
One without a permanent scar  
And did you miss me while you were looking at yourself out there   
Fal and Kel spent the rest of the time catching up on what had been happening. Kel had been gone for only a year, but in that year a lot had happened. Kel had gone to help with Scanran raids, but mostly was gone looking for something she didn't know, until she got back and found it in her own hall (A/N: Cant exactly use backyard can I?). That 'something' was love, not like her liking Neal, but love.  
Now that she's back from that soul vacation  
Tracing her way through the constellation, hey, hey  
She checks out Mozart while she does tae-bo  
Reminds me that there's time to grow, hey, hey   
"I wonder where the two lovebirds are." Cleon said to Roald.  
"Probably nothing we have to worry about. Kel can pretty much take care of herself, and Fal, well Fal can take care of himself." Raold stopped to study his friends face. Cleon might have been joking, but Raold could see that he really liked Kel. Unfortunately for him, Kel had found someone.  
Now that she's back in the atmosphere  
I'm afraid that she might think of me as plain ol' Jane  
Told a story about a man who is too afraid to fly so he never did land   
"Fal! Kel! We were wondering if you wanted to come with us to the Dancing Dove?" Neal shouted through the door to Kels rooms. They had been talking for hours.  
"Sure." Neal was surprised that she opened the door. Fal was right behind her.  
"Well, we're going now."  
"Ok. Lets go then." Their whole party (you know who) left. When they got there the bartender was happy to have so many customers, just not at the same time.  
Tell me did the wind sweep you off your feet  
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day  
And head back to the Milky Way  
And tell me, did Venus blow your mind  
Was it everything you wanted to find  
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there   
Fal and Kel were sitting next to each other at the large table, when Fal whispered, "Please meet me outside as soon as possible." Fal got up and left. About ten minutes later Kel made an excuse to go outside, not quite sure what Fal wanted.  
"Yes Fal?" Kel was outside the Dancing Dove.  
"Kel, you know I love you right?"  
"Fal, you know I do." Kel looked to see if he was joking. It was adamant, he wasn't.  
"Well..."  
Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken  
Your best friend always sticking up for you even when I know you're wrong  
Can you imagine no first dance, freeze dried romance five-hour phone conversation  
The best soy latte that you ever had . . . and me   
"Where did those two go?" Neal asked Owen.  
"Probably outside having a jolly time." The slightly tipsy Owen replied.  
"Owen, your too drunk." Neal asked everyone, but no one seemed to know where they were.  
Tell me did the wind sweep you off your feet  
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day  
And head back toward the Milky Way   
"Kel, Fal!" Neal had extended his search to outside. The party was about to leave. If they weren't found soon...  
"We're here Neal." Kel answered. She and Fal both looked happy.  
"Maybe Owen was right, where you two having 'a jolly time'?"   
"No, I just asked Kel to marry me," Neal's jaw dropped. Their Lady Knight was getting married to someone, who just happened to be in their group. Kel closed Neal's jaw, because he obviously couldn't do it himself. "Didn't your mother teach you it's not polite to stare?"  
"Uh huh." They went inside, and soon Kel and Fal were being congratulated.  
Repeat 1st Chorus  
A/N: I would like to thank Train, for writing this song. You know the drill. EXPECT A SEQUEL. This is turning out to be different then I expected. I was only going to do ONE song fic, but I end up doing THREE for a series. What next, an entire novel? Sorry to kind of drop you at the end, but I couldn't let on too much. Anyone surprised? The little box  
Right  
Down  
Here is for you to review. Please do so. That is what inspired this sequel.  
  
  
  
  



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